


Always My Hero

by Thepracticalheartmom



Category: Captain America (Movies), Captain America - All Media Types, Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Angst, F/M, Hurt/Comfort, Pre-Serum Steve Rogers, Protective Bucky Barnes, Sickfic, Steve Rogers Feels, Steve Rogers Needs a Hug
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-22
Updated: 2021-02-15
Packaged: 2021-03-13 20:33:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,276
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28909383
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Thepracticalheartmom/pseuds/Thepracticalheartmom
Summary: When HYDRA manages to turn Steve back into pre-serum Steve, will the team be able to keep Steve alive long enough to turn him back? Will Steve let the love of his life care for him?
Relationships: Steve Rogers/Reader
Comments: 2
Kudos: 21





	1. Never Alone

You heard a knock on the door. “Doll, it’s Bucky, can you open the door?”

You opened the door surprised to see Bucky and not Steve. “Hey Buck, what’s up?”

“I need you to come with me. It’s Steve.”

You tried not to panic, grabbing your purse and your keys and slipping shoes on, not bothering to brush your hair or even ask what was going on. The look on Bucky’s face was enough. Once you were settled on the back of Bucky’s motorcycle, The wind whipped through your hair, and the knot in your stomach tightened with every vibration of the motor as you gripped Bucky tightly. You pulled into the compound, and you climbed off the bike. 

“Bucky,” you reached for his arm. “What happened to Steve?”

“You, you’re not gonna like this, doll. Um, HYDRA got him, he was protecting me, stupid punk. They hit him with some kind of dart, it, well it made the serum stop working. He looks a loot like he did when he was just Steve, but the problem is that he’s got all the health issues that he had before too. He’s in bad shape, y/n.”

You nodded, steeling yourself for what would surely be a rough night. Bucky led you through the compound to the medbay. You took a deep breath before following him into Steve’s room. What you saw next took your breath away. Steve looked so frail and small in a bed that was clearly meant for someone more than double his size. 

His eyes were closed, and you could hear the noisy sound of his chest rising and falling. Bucky placed his flesh hand on your shoulder. “He’s sleeping, but he’ll have to wake up soon for his medication. They’re still figuring out the right doses of everything. Medicine’s a lot better now than it was back when we were kids. He’ll be alright until we can figure out a solution.”

You nodded, your lip quivering as you fought back tears. You knew that this was one of Steve’s nightmares. He was always so afraid to go back to the way he was before the serum. You looked at the wires and tubes all around Steve. It broke your heart to see him that way. You turned and buried your face in Bucky’s shoulder, trying to hold it together. Steve couldn’t see you like this. You had to be the strong one for once. You wiped your eyes on the sleeve of your shirt and settled into the chair at the side of the bed. Your eyes felt heavy and you glanced down at your watch to see that it was nearly one in the morning. Bucky stood outside the door, a silent sentinel, still protecting his best friend even after all these years. 

You slipped your hand into Steve’s holding it gently, anchoring yourself to him. No matter what, you had no intentions of letting go. A coughing fit shook spasms through Steve’s chest. His chest lifted off the bed with the force of the coughs. His eyes were wide, and you shot up with a start. After a moment or two, the coughing slowed and Steve gasped for air. You sat on the bed beside him, supporting him against your chest while he caught his breath. He looked over at you sadly. “Hey, doll.”

“Hey yourself. You took a hell of a hit this time huh?”

“Looks like it.”

You hugged him softly, afraid that you’d hurt him. He leaned against you, shivering a little at the chilly temperature of the room. Looking around, you spotted a thick blanket draped over a chair. You slid off the bed to grab it and curled up with Steve, covering him with the blanket and molding yourself into his side. “Better?”

Steve nodded, closing his eyes and drifting back off to sleep.


	2. No Matter What

Movement in the room woke you from your light sleep. You still couldn’t get used to the constant wheezing of Steve’s lungs in the place of his normally strong heartbeat and the steady rise and fall of his chest. You looked up to see a nurse with an army of syringes and medications in a tub in her arms. She looked a little sheepish at the prospect of waking Steve. “You want me to wake him?” You whispered.

She nodded. You gently placed a hand on Steve’s shoulder, shaking him softly, his shoulder felt bony and sharp. Steve’s eyes opened slowly. “Medicine time, handsome. Gotta wake up.”

You helped him sit up, moving behind him so he could lean back on your chest. You could feel his pulse racing under your palm. The nurse handed Steve a small cup filled to the brim with pills. A bottle of water, still sealed is pressed into his other hand. Steve sets the pills down and struggles to open the plastic lid. You take it gently from his shaking hands and twist it off the top. Steve’s shoulders slump at the realization of yet another thing he needs help with. You kissed his head, handing him the water. He swallowed the pills in several mouthfuls, and drained the water, stopping for a coughing fit. He slumped back against your shoulder and you held him for a moment. The nurse pushed a medication through his IV and Steve winced. You looked up at the nurse, not bothering to temper the glare. She pushed another medication and then another in relatively quick succession. Steve looked tired and worn from the ordeal, and after she was done with her tasks, you hugged Steve as tightly as you dared, finally noticed all of the injuries he’d sustained in the last battle. Bruises and cuts littered his body and you couldn’t help but realize just how fragile the love of your life really was in this moment. You hadn’t met Steve until after the Snap, but you’d heard stories of him being in rough scrapes and coming out looking worse for the wear, but this scared you, not that you’d ever admit it.  _ He can’t know how I’m feeling right now, that’s not fair to him. _

Steve slipped back into sleep, wheezing in his sleep, but seeming a little more peaceful than he had before. Outside the room, you could see Bucky through the window. He was talking to Bruce, every once in a while one of them would glance up at you and Steve. You met Bruce’s eyes, he looked tired, like he hadn’t slept in days. He stepped into the room quietly, settling in the chair beside the bed. “Hey, y/n, how are you holding up.” 

“I’m alright. Whatcha got?”

“We’re trying to synthesize the formula that Steve had, and we think we’re close, but there’s no guarantee.”

You nodded. “At least it’s hope.”

Bruce said his goodbyes softly and Bucky traded him places. “How are you really?” he asked softly.

“I’m okay. I love Steve. How he looks doesn’t change that. I’m worried about him, but he’s still my Steve.”

Bucky couldn’t help but smile at you. You and Steve had been together for almost a year, he and Steve had just been talking on the plane about the best way Steve could propose to you. He wanted it to be perfect. Said that he’d had the ring for almost six months. He knew you were the one after just your second date. Bucky touched your shoulder. “I’m glad he has you. I’ll be right outside if you need anything.”

You leaned back against the hospital bed, holding Steve close to your heart, and hoping that Bruce would find a solution sooner rather than later.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know it's a short one but I really wanted to get an update on this one! More to come sooner rather than later! Please let me know what you think. Do you love it? Hate it?

**Author's Note:**

> Just a short little interlude that my brain came up with while I was sitting in my craft room. I hope you enjoy! Let me know what you think! A couple more chapters to come!


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